Common Name:

General Information

Corymbia intermedia is an evergreen tree with a well developed and moderately dense crown; it can grow 20 - 40 metres tall[]. The bole is often long and straight and may reach up to 100cm in diameter[].
The nectar is harvested from wild trees for local use as a sweet flavouring and drink. The tree is also harvested for its timber.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Queensland, eastern New South Wales.

Habitat

Coastal forests on soils of medium fertility[]. Open forests and woodlands on a range of soil types[]. Found in poor coastal sites, either on flats or gentle slopes, and in closed-forests; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Corymbia intermedia is a plant of the moist tropics and subtropics of eastern Australia, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 28°c, but can tolerate 8 - 38°c[]. It experiences some mild frosts in parts of its range[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 750 - 2,200mm. Most rainfall within its native range falls in the summer season[, ].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well drained[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].
The plant develops a lignotuber - this is a woody tuber that starts to develop near the base of seedlings and can become massive in the mature plants of some species. It possesses embedded vegetative buds, allowing the plant to regenerate following crown destruction, for example by fire[].
Corymbia species have not adopted a deciduous habit and continue to grow until it is too cold for them to do so. This makes them more susceptible to damage from sudden cold snaps. If temperature fluctuations are more gradual, as in a woodland for example, the plants have the opportunity to stop growing and become dormant, thus making them more cold resistant. A deep mulch around the roots to prevent the soil from freezing also helps the trees to survive cold conditions[]. Many members of this genus are remarkably adaptable however, and there can be a dramatic increase in the hardiness of subsequent generations from the seed of survivors growing in temperate zones[].

Edible Uses

The flowers produce copious quantities of a sweet nectar. This can be sucked direct from the flowers as a snack, or can be harvested and mixed with water to make a sweet drink[].

Medicinal

Kino resin, obtained from the trunk, is very astringent. Diluted, it can be taken internally as an effective treatment for dysentery, working because it is not absorbed at all from the stomach and only very slowly from the intestine, and is thus able to directly treat the lower part of the intestine. It can be used as a gargle and mouthwash to treat relaxed throat, loose teeth[, ].
Applied externally as a wash, it is an effective styptic and can used to treat cuts and skin problems[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The flowers are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees[, ].

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. Total quantity of the oil, and its composition, can vary widely from plant to plant, but we have reports that the fresh leaves contain around 0.1 - 0.5% essential oil. The main components include alpha and beta pinene (around 67% in total), eudesmol[].

We have no details on quantities, bu a kino resin is found the trunk. Kino resins are rich in tannins and are very astringent. Soluble in water, they can be used medicinally; in tanning; as well as for preserving and dyeing natural fibres. When boiled in an iron pot they produce a thick, dark liquid that can be used as an ink[].
The resin oozes naturally from wounds in the trunk and can be tapped by making incisions in the bark. At first it is a thick liquid, but soon hardens upon exposure to the air and sun, typically drying to an amber-like material that consists of dark red angular fragments, rarely larger than a pea. Freshly exuded kino is more effective than kino that has been on the tree for a long while, since the soluble portion can be more or less washed out and the action of the sun can alter their chemical composition[].

The heartwood is deep pink to dark red-brown. The wood is hard, strong and very durable, but contains gum veins. It is not often sawn, but is used in the round for fencing, mining timber and heavy constructions such as bridge work[, ].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow late winter/early spring in a sunny position in a greenhouse[, , ]. Species that come from high altitudes appreciate 6 - 8 weeks cold stratification at 2°c[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the second set of seed leaves has developed, if left longer than this they might not move well. Plant out into their permanent positions in early summer and give them some protection from the cold in their first winter. The seed can also be sown in early summer, the young trees being planted in their final positions in late spring of the following year. The seed has a long viability[].